Hot Springs Warm Escape

ooc: @Lyris Weather: Mist
9 ° F, -13 ° C

Rising from his place in the in the communal den Kajika slipped outside and almost immediately wished he hadn't. It was colder than it had been in past days which was a disappointment to say the least. He'd been hoping that the warmer weather would signify that spring was just a little bit closer, no such luck it would seem. On top of the colder weather it was misting, not raining or even snowing. He stretched his muscles out before starting his morning routine which he hoped to finish quickly.

It did take him a little longer than he'd hoped but by early afternoon he was able to do what he wanted for a few hours and not feel too bad. He thought it might be a good idea to visit the hot springs. He'd been there and thought it would be just what he needed for a day with the weather still misting. He traveled at a lope until he reached it, though he couldn't see it just yet he could feel the warmth of the air and ground. He had been there once before and even though it wasn't a place he visited often it was a place he liked coming to.

The dark furred male stepped up to the edge of the spring to let his feet just touch the water letting the warmth of it travel his legs. It was the perfect way to get away from the cold of the winter for just a small amount of time.

(This post was last modified: Jan 18, 2017, 05:08 AM by Kajika.)

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The air had warmed in the past few days, but as it turned out, this had not signified the coming of spring. It was cold again, and while there was no significant precipitation, a heavy mist swirled through the lands. Visibility was terrible, causing Lyris to squint her large eyes every so often, though even this aided her little. She despised the inability to see clearly. It made her feel incredibly unsafe, and although she had her nose to guide her footsteps, to alert her of danger, it did not seem to be enough. She was reminded of her grandmother, who had been blinded by the claws of a cougar, and felt a surge of sympathy for the elderly woman. Someone she would never see again.

The smell of water pulled her from her melancholy memories. Up the way, steam rose from the earth to join the mist above. Lyris halted a moment and furrowed her brow, asking herself how it was that the earth itself could produce condensation. In her experience, water vapor came from the sky, and only the sky. Eager, she jogged up the path and saw that it was pools of water, not the ground, from which the steam came. This, too, was a phenomenon that she had never witnessed before.

She was not alone here, either. Perhaps seeking relief from the cold, another dark-furred wolf stood beside one of the pools. For a hopeful moment, Lyris wondered if she had happened upon Askan again, the handsome male who had helped her find food. But a quick acknowledgement of this stranger's scent told her otherwise; this was a different male. From the appearance of his healthy coat and bright amber eyes, as well as the pack-scent clinging to his fur, she guessed that, like Askan, he was a pack wolf.

The chocolate she-wolf approached him, chuffing softly in greeting.

(This post was last modified: Jan 18, 2017, 12:53 PM by Lyris.)

One good thing about living in Fallen Tree Cove was that they were so close to the Hot Springs which was a welcome relief against the cold. So much so that Kajika considered staying the rest of the day but he knew he had to do some hunting before retiring for the night. The dark furred man looked forward to the day when the prey was more abundant and their caches were full once more. He hoped that time wasn't far off but until then he like the others in his pack had to keep working hard to make sure everyone had food.

The beta considered moving further into the warm water of the spring but knew that it wouldn't be a good choice considering he still had to travel home. The warmth of the air around him did help to take the chill off from his journey, though not a long one, from the cove. Without the snow covering the ground he didn't hear the crunch of snow that had become so familiar over the past months that came with another's approach.

She had come upon him so quietly that his first recognition that he was no longer alone was the soft chuff she greeted him with. Ears turned in her direction seconds before he turned his head and for a moment he thought Moonshadow had followed him. Upon closer inspection he realized the female he now faced was in fact not his student though they were around the same age.

“Hello,” he greeted, “I guess I'm not the only seeking some refuge from the cold?” He said it as more of a question. He moved away from the water to give her his full attention.

(This post was last modified: Jan 18, 2017, 01:59 PM by Kajika.)

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Lyris, too, considered submerging herself within the warm waters, but fear of turning into an icicle afterwards prevented her from going to that extreme. But as the male moved away from the water, she approached it more closely. Dipping her paws into the shallows, she closed her eyes for a few seconds, relishing the warmth that crawled up her legs. He spoke again, asking her a question and she turned towards him again.

Well... Actually, I've never seen anything like this place before. I didn't even know that water could be warm. She laughed softly, mocking herself. How could it be warm, when everything else is so cold? Do you know how? Her head canted to one side as she asked the question, although she doubted that he knew. It was not to say that she thought he was stupid - he seemed bright enough to her. Still, the hot springs seemed like an unknowable mystery. Like life and death, perhaps it was not something anyone was meant to know, although those particular subjects were much more profound than something like hot water.

My name is Lyris. It's nice to meet you. She smiled brightly and dipped her maw, like a would-be curtsy.  

Once he moved away from the water the new female stepped forward to the water and placed her paws in the shallows as he had done. Kajika gave her a moment to enjoy the warmth the water provided before speaking to her which caused her to face him.

“Before I came the first time I hadn't seen anything like it before either,” he said smiling as she laughed. He gave her questions some thought searching his memory for any knowledge on the subject but in the end shook his head, “I'm afraid I don't know but it's a curious thing.” No one had ever shared the secrets of the hot springs with him before. Her asking the question made him want to find out the answer regardless of if he ever saw her again.

She seemed to be a rather polite lady, “Kajika, it's nice to meet you as well, what brings you to this part of the lore?” He asked curiously.

(This post was last modified: Jan 19, 2017, 01:25 AM by Kajika.)

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Lyris sat down, leaving her front paws in the water, making herself comfortable. Kajika spoke, and as she had suspected, told her that he did not know the answer to her question. To this, she simply shrugged, her smile still in place. He returned a smile to her. He was friendly, much more so than Askan, although she had liked the other soot-pelted male as well. I guess we'll never know she returned, ending the conversation.

He gave his name, Kajika. It was an interesting name if she had ever heard one. You have a very nice name, she complimented sincerely.  It was a short interjection before he questioned her about her presence here. My pack disbanded. My family split up, and I wandered until I ended up here. She spoke simply, in an even tone. It was not her wish to seek pity from him, so she kept the more dramatic details to herself. There was no need to share them. She had overshared to Askan, and it had caused her embarrassment.

What about you? she asked. What is your story? Everyone had a story, whether he was born in the lore or another area. She wanted to know.

(This post was last modified: Jan 19, 2017, 09:18 PM by Lyris.)

There is a moose carcass that has been scavenged by coyotes nearby. +15 Health

When she made herself comfortable he took that as a sign she didn't feel threatened by him and he wasn't by her. He wished he could have answered her question but he just didn't know and he wasn't sure he knew anyone who did know the answer. Her words finished the conversation which he nodded in agreement with them. Perhaps one day someone could explain but until then it did seem they would never know.

A smile crossed his maw when she complimented his name, “Thank you, I like yours as well.” It was different from any that he'd heard but in a good way and he felt it suited her with the politeness in which she spoke. He wondered if her differences ended there or if there was more about her that was different from what he was used to. A simple question with a difficult answer is what passed between them next. “I'm sorry to hear that. It's not easy when your whole world changes like that.” Something he had come to realize when the rank change had occurred, how close they could have come to disbanding. He was glad it hadn't happened for fear of what might have happened to him and his family on the cove.

She seemed curious about why he was there too but not just about his presence at the hot springs. He say back on his haunches in front of her, “I didn't start in the lore but a forest far from here. My family had different beliefs than I, they did a lot of wrong. Despite my best efforts I tried to change things for the better but being young I failed. So I left them not willing to continue on the path they were on.”

(This post was last modified: Jan 19, 2017, 10:13 PM by Kajika.)

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I'm gonna go with the prompt, if that's okay with you? :D

He had a particularly interesting story, one of a pack whose values he did not share. Lyris could not relate to it, having been raised in a loving pack wherein wrongdoing was deeply discouraged. I see, she said softly, looking into the water for a moment. Her reflection stared back at her, eyes brighter than they had been in the months that had come and gone before. Her history was sad, yes, but she could not imagine being trapped in a home where evil was done, where it was encouraged. She did not know what exactly his packmembers had done, nor did she think she wanted to. The curious part of her wished to ask for more details, but, knowing it was none of her business, she simply looked at him sadly and said, That must have been very hard to deal with. I'm sorry. And left it there.

Suddenly, Lyris looked past Kajika, ears erect and eyes wide. Her nostrils twitched in the sudden breeze which had shifted directions, bringing a sent from deeper trees to the location of the two wolves. It was the smell of meat, and while it was not exactly a fresh scent, it wasn't the smell of decay, either. She smiled at her counterpart, happy that their topic of conversation could now surround something joyful. Food.

I think I smell meat, Kajika! Want to go find it? Lyris rose to her feet, wagging her tail furiously.

The story of his pack wasn't a particularly happy one because of what his family has become before he left. Though they were fewer and far between the longer he was in the lore he still had memories from his puppyhood and how different his pack had been. There were many other things about his birth pack that he could tell her but he decided against it. Despite the horrible things his birth pack did Kajika was glad that during all of it he didn't lose himself. He didn't have to worry about that now because his family and what they did was behind him. He lived in the cove now and it was his home. He nodded, “Yes it was,” when she said she was sorry, he didn't know what else to say.

With the shifting of the winds, a scent of meat reached his nostrils and he licked his lips before looking toward Lyris. He wondered what they would have to do to get the meat and momentarily he wondered if there might be enough he could bring back to the pack. Embarrassingly he could hear his stomach growl as he thought about the food despite having his breakfast. His gaze went to Lyris when she spoke about going to find the meat he nodded, “Yes, we should,” he agreed. He wasn't sure exactly what they would find but he at least Thought they would find seeking that was edible.

He rose to his feet as she did and trotted off in the direction the scent had come from. The dark man stopped long enough to make sure that Lyris was following him as he led the way to the meat they were searching out.

(This post was last modified: Jan 22, 2017, 01:20 PM by Kajika.)

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